Spiced Lentil and Market Vegetable Stew with Mushroom Finish

Spiced Lentil & Market Vegetable Stew with Mushroom Finish 🍲🍄 This is the kind of everyday pot that feels calm, generous and useful: red lentils cooked until creamy with market vegetables, tomatoes and warm spices, finished with browned mushrooms for a deeper savoury top note. Yield: 4 bowls Time: about 45 minutes Ingredients 🧺 - 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided - 1 medium onion, finely chopped - 2 carrots, diced - 2 celery sticks, diced - 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika - 1 teaspoon ground cumin - 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander - 1 bay leaf - 220 g red lentils, rinsed well - 1 x 400 g can chopped tomatoes - 850 ml vegetable stock, plus extra to loosen - 250 g mushrooms, sliced - 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari, optional but good - 1 teaspoon lemon juice or red wine vinegar - 2 tablespoons chopped parsley - Fine sea salt and black pepper - Optional: yogurt, chilli oil, toast, rice or flatbread to serve Method 👩‍🍳 1. Build the vegetable base. Warm 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables look glossy and the onion is soft rather than browned. 2. Add garlic and spices. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander and bay leaf. Cook for 1 minute, just until fragrant. If the pan looks dry, add a small splash of stock so the spices do not catch. 3. Simmer the lentils. Add the rinsed red lentils, chopped tomatoes and vegetable stock. Bring to a steady simmer, then lower the heat and cook for 22-28 minutes, stirring now and then. The lentils should soften and thicken the stew, while the carrots remain tender but visible. 4. Brown the mushrooms separately. While the stew simmers, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a frying pan. Add the mushrooms in a single layer with a pinch of salt. Cook for 6-8 minutes until their moisture evaporates and the edges turn golden. Stir in the soy sauce or tamari for a deeper savoury finish, if using. 5. Finish the pot. Remove the bay leaf. Stir half the mushrooms into the lentil stew and loosen with extra stock if needed. Add lemon juice or vinegar, then taste for salt and black pepper. The texture should be spoonable and creamy, not stiff. 6. Serve. Ladle into warm bowls and spoon the remaining mushrooms over the top. Finish with parsley and a little olive oil. Add yogurt or chilli oil if you like contrast, and serve with toast, rice or flatbread. Serving and storage tips 🥄 - For a brighter bowl, add extra lemon at the table. - For a thicker stew, let it stand for 5 minutes before serving. - Leftovers keep well for 3 days in the fridge. - Reheat gently with a splash of stock or water because lentils thicken as they sit. Save this one for a practical, comforting dinner that still feels fresh. 🌿 Tasteloom.club - easy recipes for everyday cravings